Tuesday: 143 Iraqis, 5 GIs Killed; 124 Iraqis Wounded

During a second day of increase violence, at least 143 Iraqis were killed or found dead and 124 more were injured. Most of the incidents were small in nature with the exception of a clash near Fallujah that left almost 60 people dead. Also, two American servicemembers were killed when an explosive device blasted their vehicle during a security patrol in Baghdad. The U.S. military also released the names of three previously unreported GI deaths that occurred on Mar. 17 in separate events in Baghdad, Tikrit, and Muqdadiyah.

Former vice-president under Saddam Hussein, Taha Yassin Ramadan, was executed before dawn for crimes against humanity. He is the third Saddam aide to be executed since the former leader’s execution in December.